The view from inside Syria's propaganda machine

James Reynolds By James Reynolds BBC Iran correspondent
Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi speaks to reporters at the site of an attack on the pro-government al-Akhbariya's offices outside Damascus Syrian journalists at al-Akhbariya slavishly follow the government line, according to a reporter who defected from the channel

Syria conflict

Many journalists who cover Syria struggle to convey the complexities of the country's conflict. But Syria's prominent al-Akhbariya network has no such problem.
It portrays a reasonably straightforward world: a brave Syrian government leads the fight against foreign-led terrorists.
Akhbariya is privately owned, but it obeys the instructions of the ruling Baath Party. Every day it broadcasts the same message - the Syrian people are united in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
Now, one of the channel's former reporters reveals how the channel does it. Ghatan Sleiba, 33, escaped to Turkey at the end of June.
Managing messages
Cannot play media. You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version
Ghatan Sleiba: "We produce the news according to what the channel's managers want"
Mr Sleiba doesn't have any footage of himself reporting for the channel, but he is keen to pass around a photo showing him holding an Akhbariya microphone.
"We talk to people before we interview them," Mr Sleiba says, continuing to use the present tense about his work as a reporter for the channel.
"Syrian citizens don't know anything - they don't know what to say - so we tell them what to say on TV in order to get the best report that we can. As a journalist my success is in getting my report to the channel. I do the reporting and I present it to the citizens - to the nation.
"For example, we tell the interviewees to tell us that they support Bashar al-Assad and they will always support him. And they accept this and say whatever I tell them. We do this to please the authorities who watch us."
Mr Sleiba explains how instructions are issued to reporters.
"The Ba'ath party sometimes appoints a representative to give orders on its behalf. They generally contact us through an information office. The committee tells us to go and take pictures of this particular event, to take pictures of the martyrs, and so on."
'Simple nation' I asked if he had ever have to broadcast something that he knew to be untrue.
"We produce the news according to what the channel's managers want. If I produce a report that echoes their opinion, I get a bonus. But if it's based on my opinion without representing their view it won't get on air.
al-Akhbariya offices in Damascus after they were attacked by gunmen al-Akhbariya's offices in Damascus were recently attacked by gunmen, killing three
"For example Syria's energy minister says there is plenty of petrol available. But in reality there aren't enough supplies in the country. We journalists are liars to the nation. The people can't trust us. This is very frustrating."
On every subject, Mr Sleiba speaks with a high level of certainty. He is sure that the Syrian people believe what they see on the state-controlled media.
"The Syrian nation is a simple nation. They believe whoever smiles at them on TV and they believe whoever cries. God help the Syrian nation."
On the same day that Ghatan Sleiba arrived in Turkey, gunmen raided one of his former channel's offices near Damascus. They destroyed its studios and killed seven staff members. Akhbariya repeatedly airs graphic footage of this attack.
In the last 15 months, the conflict in Syria has meant extreme risk for opposition and foreign journalists. Now, broadcasting in support of the government has its cost.

More on This Story

Syria conflict

Related Stories

More Middle East stories

RSS

Features & Analysis

Most Popular

Shared

  1. 1: Higgs-like particle 'discovered'
  2. 2: US lifeguard fired for saving man
  3. 3: Japan nuclear crisis 'man-made'
  4. 4: VW agrees $5.6bn Porsche takeover
  5. 5: Armed police close toll motorway

Read

  1. 1: Armed police close toll motorway
  2. 2: Final Air France crash report due
  3. 3: Japan nuclear crisis 'man-made'
  4. 4: US lifeguard fired for saving man
  5. 5: HTC defeats Apple in UK courts
  6. 6: Six arrested in anti-terror raids
  7. 7: VW agrees $5.6bn Porsche takeover
  8. 8: Higgs-like particle 'discovered'
  9. 9: Nato trucks cross Pakistan border
  10. 10: Caesarean model trains doctors

Video/Audio

  1. 1: Aerial view of M6 police operation Watch
  2. 2: Hawking: 'Discovery has lost me $100' Watch
  3. 3: Air France crash report awaited Watch
  4. 4: What is the Higgs boson? Watch
  5. 5: Laser show to mark London's Shard Watch
  6. 6: One-minute World News Watch
  7. 7: Brian Cox: "Great day in the history of science" Watch
  8. 8: F1 test driver seriously injured Watch
  9. 9: Crash pilots' 'sequence of human errors' Watch
  10. 10: Hamas backs Arafat poisoning claim Watch

Elsewhere on the BBC

  • A tent on the beach Happy campers

    BBC Travel enjoys a journey through Mexico and Central America under canvas

Programmes

  • HARDtalk with Ghazi Hamad – Hamas Deputy Foreign MinisterHARDtalk Watch

    Hamas backs Arafat poisoning claim and calls for full independent scientific inquiry

Ads by Google

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HISTORIA YA MPWAPWA HATARINI KUTOWEKA

Na Stephen –noel –mpwapwa. WANANCHI wa wilaya ya Mpwapwa mkoani Dodoma wameonyesha wasiwasi wao juu ya vitu vya kihistoria   ya wilaya hiyo vilioachwa na wakoloni iko hatarini kutoweka   kutokana   na   sehemu hizo   za kihistoria kuto kuhifadhiwa    na kulidwa na mamlaka husika. Wakiongea   na waandishi wa habari   mmoja wa wazee wakongwe wa mji huo   bwana Abinoo Mathiasi    mkazi wa   hazina alisema kuwa   miongoni mwa historia hizo ambazo   ni   njia kuu ya watumwa   iliyokuwa ikotokea   bara   yaani mikoa ya Kigoma   na Tabora   na kuelekea Bagamoyo na Zanzibar iliyokuwa ikiongozwa na Said Majid TippTip na Abushir ambayo kwa sasa iko mbioni kufutika Mti wa mlumbulumbu ambao kwa sasa umesha anguka na wanachi wameupasua kuni ambapo   palichomwa   kanisa la Anglikana la kwanza   na mfanya biashara ya watumwa   mwarabu Abushir kwa vile watu wa eneo hi...
Read more

MAANA YA JINA MPWAPWA

Jina MPWAPWA ni MHAMVWA ambalo lilikuwa halisi kwa wenyeji   WAGOGO na   Korongo   linalotokea   KIkombo   kuelekea   hadi sehemu inayoitwa   KWAMSHANGO, Wajerumani walipo ingia   katika Nchi hii   walishidwa   kutamka   jina   MHAMVA(mamva)   wakaita   MPAPUA   Waimgeleza   nao   katika   butawala   wao   walisdhidwa    kutamka   neno MPAPUA   Wakaita   MPWAPWA.    Wilaya ya mpwapwa ni miongoni wa mwa   Wilaya   6sita   za mkoa wa DODOMA   na   inakadiliwa kuwa na wakazi wapatao 296,966, wenye   shughuli za kiuchumi   za Kilimo cha Mtama   Mahindi , Karanga   na ALIZETI, Ufugaji   kama NG,OMBE za kienyeji   Mbuzi Kondoo, na KUKU ,Ambapo   wakazi   wake ni   wa makabila ya   WAGOGO,WAHEHE,WASAGARA,WAKAGURU,na WABENA .       Mpwapwa ipo   umbali wa...
Read more

DC KIZIGO ATOA MAAGIZO KWA KWA MAAFISA ELIMU KUKABILIANA NA UKATILI MASHULENI.

Image
  Mkuu wa wilaya ya Mpwapwa Bi Sophia Kizigo akifungua kikao   cha wadau wa Ulinzi dhidi ya Mtoto na ukatili wa kijinsia kilicho wezeshwa na Jukwaa la utu wa Mtoto CDF wilayani Mpwapwa.   Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa  Shirika la utu wa Mtoto CDF Koshuma Mtengeti akichangia jambo  katika kikao cha kujadili ulinzi wa Mtoto wilayani Mpwapwa.   Stephen Noel-Mpwapwa.   Mkuu wa wilaya ya Mpwapwa Mkoani Dodoma Bi Sophia Mfaume Kizigo ametoa  amri kwa maafisa Elimu wote ndani ya wilaya hiyo kuhakikisha shule zote za Msingi na sekondari zinakuwa na walimu walezi kwa lengo la kupunguza vitendo vya ukatili kwa watoto wawapo shuleni. Mkuu wa wilaya hiyo ametoa agizo hilo kwenye mkutano wa Siku moja uliondaliwa na Asasi ya kiraia jukwaa la utu wa mtoto  CDF  iliyo kutanisha Wadau wote wanao fanya  afua za kumlinda mtoto na kujali ustawi wa mtoto. Amesema Ili kuhakikisha watoto wanakuwa Kwenye mazingira ya usalama lazima kunakuwapo na  watu w...
Read more